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Central England Co-op set to celebrate great food and ethical trading with range of events in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire to mark Fairtrade Fortnight 2019

Central England Co-op will be holding a range of events across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire during Fairtrade Fortnight 2019, which kicks off on Monday, to remind customers and colleagues what Fairtrade is all about.

The Society will be holding events from Fairtrade tea dances to Fairtrade school assemblies and workshops, as well as plenty of other opportunities for young and old to find out more about why Fairtrade is so important and the range of great products available to customers who wish to make ethical choices in their everyday shopping.

Fairtrade Fortnight takes place from 25 February to 10 March and will see thousands of individuals, companies and groups across the UK come together to celebrate the people who grow our food, people who live in some of the poorest countries in the world and who are often exploited and badly paid.

Educating young people about Fairtrade in the communities the Society serves will again be at the heart of its activities during the Fortnight.

Colleagues at Central England Co-op will be going into schools, Cubs, Scout and Beaver Groups, as well as other community groups to deliver assemblies and workshops to young people.

The sessions aim to get the children to think about the people who grew their food and far it has come, as well as making them aware that buying Fairtrade goods means fair prices for farmers in the developing world.

Among the schools the Society will be working with during the Fortnight will be Parwich Primary School and Hilltop School in Ashbourne, Greenwood Primary and Nursery School in Kirkby in Ashfield, Albany School in Stapleford and Honley High School in Holmfirth. It is also supporting Chesterfield Football Club Community Trust’s work in schools.

Tanya Noon, Member and Community Relations Officer for Central England Co-op in Derbyshire, Nottingham and South Yorkshire said: “Educating young people about Fairtrade not only teaches them about how they can shop in a more ethical way; it helps them to think of themselves as global citizens with a responsibility to others.

“Fairtrade and ethical practices are hugely important to us as a co-operative, so we are always keen to make sure that we are educating the next generation in these important subjects, while also making the sessions we put on great fun and interactive for the young people.”

The retailer will also be raising awareness of Fairtrade and the range of ethically-sourced products it stocks in its Food Stores through the two weeks of the campaign, with in-store promotions and special Fairtrade tea dances for its members.

Central England Co-operative is proud of its reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility. It is a member of Business in the Community, the membership organisation that stands for responsible business, and has also won many business awards for excellence. The Society supports a number of charities including Dementia UK and invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities.

Becoming a member of Central England Co-operative offers a whole host of benefits ranging from collecting points every time you spend in store to earn a share of the profits, access to members activities and community initiatives including the Community Dividend Fund, which hands out grants of up to £5,000 to charities and good causes across the Society’s trading estate.

Find out how to become a Central England Co-operative member by calling 0800 0501 601, emailing members@centralengland.coop or visiting https://www.members.coop

For more information visit www.centralengland.coop, follow Central England Co-operative on Twitter: @mycoopfood, and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative

Rob Smyth and James Brindle at Central England Co-operative on 01543 421390